Driving in France when you come from the United Kingdom
For a British driver, the challenge is not only driving on the right. Several French rules have no UK equivalent, and one even bans equipment that is legal at home.
Driving side
In the United Kingdom
You drive on the left and overtake on the right.
In France
You drive on the right, and overtaking takes place on the left.
Source: Code de la route, art. R414-6
Roundabouts
In the United Kingdom
You go clockwise and give way to traffic from the right.
In France
You go the other way. At a roundabout signed as such, you give way to vehicles already on the ring; a circular junction without that sign falls under priority to the right.
Source: Code de la route, art. R415-10, R110-2 and R415-5
Priority to the right
In the United Kingdom
It does not exist: junctions are governed by signs and road markings.
In France
At any intersection without signs, you must yield to traffic coming from your right.
Source: Code de la route, art. R415-5
Phones and earpieces
In the United Kingdom
Hand-held phones are banned; hands-free, earpiece included, is allowed.
In France
Hand-held phones are banned, and so is wearing any sound-emitting device in the ear, even switched off. Only the car’s built-in audio remains usable.
Source: Code de la route, art. R412-6-1
Speed limits
In the United Kingdom
In miles per hour: generally 30 in towns and 70 on motorways.
In France
In km/h: 50 in built-up areas (about 31 mph) and 130 on motorways (about 81 mph), reduced to 110 in rain.
Source: Code de la route, art. R413-2 and R413-3
Alcohol
In the United Kingdom
0.8 g per litre of blood in England, Wales and Northern Ireland; 0.5 g in Scotland.
In France
0.5 g per litre of blood, and 0.2 g for probationary licence holders and public transport drivers.
Source: Code de la route, art. R234-1
Driving on the right is learned quickly. Roundabouts, priority to the right and the earpiece ban need more attention: those are the points we work on first.
These differences summarise general rules and do not replace the Code de la route. Rules abroad may vary by state or region. For the validity of a foreign licence, refer to service-public.fr and the ANTS.